


the temple of prometheus

by procrastinationfairy



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Anime & Manga)
Genre: F/M, other characters are p minor, serenity/endymion is a minor ship but they are there, that's irrelevant i'm just salty, what happened to having minako and sailor venus as her character tag, will i sound bitter and old if i talk about how i don't like the way they changed the tumblr tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-12-15 15:07:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11808480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/procrastinationfairy/pseuds/procrastinationfairy
Summary: “You are in the Temple of Prometheus, Sailor Venus. Did they tell you nothing?” / Serenity and Endymion inadvertently disturb the spirit of an ancient temple, Kunzite is captured, and Venus is sent to rescue him.





	the temple of prometheus

It was a labyrinth. Of course it was a labyrinth.

“It’s _always_ a labyrinth with Terrans,” Venus muttered as she scanned over the cold stone walls. Somewhere in those depths was Lord Kunzite, Endymion’s guard and the man she’d been sent to save. That was all she knew. “I can assume they’ve hidden him in the center,” she mused as she approached the entrance. The structure was rather out of place in this stretch of woods, the trees stretching far above her head, above the labyrinth itself. Yet, they did not build a canopy over the top. Instead, bright sunlight illuminated this place. Yes, Venus was sure this must have been the location.

“And what exactly were Serenity and Endymion doing here in the first place?” she wondered. “Such a romantic spot for a date, that’s what Serenity said about it. That girl doesn’t have a suspicious bone in her body. No place like this is anything but some sort of . . . trap, or else magical haven. Either way,  it’s not some place you ought to go without a reason. Blessing to lovers, that isn’t worth this danger.”

Venus considered screaming to release her frustration but decided that talking to herself was enough. If anyone else were around here--perhaps Lord Kunzite’s captors--they’d think she was really crazy if she did that. But who cared? This wasn’t her planet. Venus had a simple mission: retrieve Lord Kunzite and return to the Terran palace. Then she could hurry back to the moon and hope that Queen Serenity hadn’t noticed her absence.

Beyond the entrance to the labyrinth, the walls were just as high, just as gray and cold. It was rather ugly. Venus pursed her lips in disgust. Trying to navigate through this maze would take far too long. Venus didn’t have Mars’ intuition or Mercury’s analysis skill. No, the best thing to do here would be to use her powers. Unhooking the chain from around her waist, she took a breath and swung it around until she built up enough power to toss it to the top of one of the closest walls, the point catching around a vine. She ran and jumped on the wall, feet planted firmly on the stone.

_“Oh, you’re no fun.”_

Venus spluttered, the chain slipping from her fingers in surprise. She slid down a little, though she caught herself before she could fall to the floor.

_“Then again, you are wearing heels. Rather unusual attire for a savior."_

“It’s uniform,” Venus protested automatically. “Wait, who am I talking to you? Who are you? Did you capture Lord Kunzite?”

 _“Is that his name?”_ The voice sounded uninterested, though it perked up a little. _“I was wondering who would come to his rescue. The boy and girl seemed more interested in each other. He volunteered to take their place, but he didn’t seem to have high hopes. After all, he knows the price I require for release.”_

“And what is that price?” Venus’s head whipped around as she tried to locate the voice--the captor--but there was nothing around but the few strands of grass peeking through the cracks of the walls.

_“I shall await you in the first room, strange lady. You can go over this wall with your chain, if you prefer, but you’re better off not to try again. You shall only hurt yourself.”_

As if to prove his point, the ground shook, and Venus clutched her chain a little tighter, scrambling to get to the top. As she braced herself on the small ledge, she realized what he’d meant. The walls inside had grown taller, up to the sky. She couldn’t even see the top anymore.

“Lovely,” Venus muttered bitterly, hopping down to the floor. She hung her chain around her waist once more and began her trek through the halls. It didn’t take long to reach a door that would presumably lead to the first room the voice had mentioned, standing tall, the dark wood out of place.

The door weight significantly more than she’d anticipated, and Venus had to invoke a little bit of senshi power to get it to move. When it finally swung out of the way, she let out a breath and closed her eyes.

That was a mistake. Something leapt at her and scratched her leg. Automatically, Venus swung her leg up, knee making firm contact with whatever had attacked her. She pulled her chain back out, whipping it in front of her to clear space. With a quick glance, she noted a few odd-looking creatures, fuzzy bodies and fangs with dim-witted eyes.

“I don’t suppose any of you were speaking to me earlier?” she asked. None of them answered. It took a moment before they realized the chain was no longer in the way, but once again, they moved to attack. “How rude. I’m a guest.”

None of them made any movement to acknowledge her words, and she waved her hand to send a small wave to bat them aside.

“Is that all you have? I’ll admit, I’m rather disappointed. Even the men who come here usually have some sort of magic on their side. You didn’t look like a normal soldier.”

Venus peered over her shoulder, finding a small boy sitting on a ledge--it almost looked as if a brick had jutted out simply to be his seat. He sighed and rested his head on his hand, eyes rather bored. This must have been the spirit of the temple Endymion had mentioned. She hadn’t expected the spirit to take this form, but she supposed she wasn’t all that aware of the forms spirits liked to take anyway.

“You’ll never defeat them that way. These are simple creatures. The labyrinth is their home, and you’re intruding. They’ll attack mindlessly until they die. Do you have the heart to kill them, miss?”

Well. That was a question. Venus had never killed a thing in her life. She’d trained for it, of course. To be the princess’s guard, she had to be willing to kill anyone who would put Serenity in harm’s way. But it was one thing to know that in concept and another to be asked. These little creatures weren’t threatening her princess in anyway, nor were they acting maliciously, if what the boy said was true. Did she?

“Must I kill them to make my way past here?” she asked, swinging her chain just enough to bat them back once more.

The boy smiled, as if entertained. “If you kill them, you will be able to pass,” he confirmed, but he said no more.

“And if I don’t?”

“So long as the creatures see you as a threat, they will attack again and again.”

Venus frowned and turned back to the fight. The creatures reared up again to attack, but she lifted her hand and muttered a spell she’d learned before she’d come to live at the palace, something her mother had taught her long, long ago. It was a kind of magic she’d nearly forgotten, something she’d been told held no value in combat. Pale golden sparks flew from her hand and landed on the creature’s chests. They shook their heads before turning their beady eye back to Venus. She worried for a moment that she’d failed. What would she do if she had? Would she really have to kill these innocent creatures?

Luckily, the brown-furred creatures merely trotted to her and nuzzled themselves around her legs. The creatures’ fur wasn’t nearly as soft as it looked, and she wondered if they were bristly enough to scratch.

“Interesting. You’re not like the others then,” the boy concluded from his perch. “Your powers are from a more basic source. But you have better control as well. It’s just a shame you don’t seem to understand your potential.”

“Excuse me?” Venus asked.

“Don’t concern yourself with it now. You really are the perfect person to come through this labyrinth. If you are his love, then he made a good choice in offering himself.”

Venus let out a cough. “Love? What? Lord Kunzite? Oh, no. I just . . . The girl you mentioned. I serve her. He serves the boy. It’s my duty to retrieve him.”

“Duty and love. Two powerful forces,” the boy said. “You choose to be here for duty then?”

“I do,” Venus said.

“Be careful then. My labyrinth prefers love. You clearly have much love in your heart. I know you can make your way through here. Don’t reject love because it’s so basic, miss.”

“I am Sailor Venus,” she said.

The boy seemed unsurprised. “Your powers suggested as much. Go ahead and make your way through, Sailor Venus. I shall await you in the second room.”

-

It had all started with Serenity and Endymion, as it always did.

“Venus!” her princess had called, eyes wet with silver tears running down her face. She had lifted the hem of her dress to ensure that she wouldn’t trip over the skirt, but this revealed her bare feet, and Venus could only wince as she imagined what the courtiers had thought when they saw their princess running through the halls like so. Venus would have scolded her had she not noticed the other figure trailing behind.

“Your Highness. I was unaware you were making a visit,” she said, bowing to Prince Endymion. The prince for his part looked a little abashed, but not as much as he normally did when he was caught at the Lunish palace when he ought not. His cheeks were flushed red, but his eyes, normally averted, peered into hers.

“Sailor Venus, please,” he began before faltering, the shy boy she’d always seen before returning. He glanced to Serenity as if ashamed.

“Venus, it’s Kunzite. Endymion and I were--” She paused, the echoes of chatter from a hall over drifting their way. Venus sighed and turned, gesturing for the two to follow her to her chambers.

“Here, let’s speak away from prying eyes.”

Behind the door, her three soldiers were sitting in their own designated spaces. They paid little mind to Endymion’s entrance, perhaps because they were growing used to his appearance as well. That really wasn’t a good thing. Venus might need to separate the lovers for a while, before their absences became too obvious. But that wasn’t the concern at the moment. Venus waved her hand and a few chairs appeared.

“Now what is all this?” Venus asked. “I hope it’s something important, considering both of you were darting around here like mad.”

Serenity sniffed and wiped her face. “Venus, you don’t understand. It’s Kunzite.”

“Kunzite?”

“We were at the Temple of Prometheus,” Endymion started, a deep breath to calm himself. “It’s . . . There’s a rumor that the temple can bless lovers to ensure that they will find a happy ending.”

Happy endings. Serenity had become rather obsessed with that since she’d begun to see Endymion. It was just something out of a Terran fairy tale, but the prince and princess seemed to think that they _were_ a fairy tale. Clearly, this endeavor hadn’t worked out for them.

“Alright. You went to the temple,” Venus prompted.

Serenity sniffed and wiped another tear from her cheek. “Kunzite had followed us. He’d told Endymion not to go there, but I suppose he knew we’d gone anyway. We made it all the way to the inner chamber, but the spirit said one of us must stay. Kunzite told us to run, but he’s still in there, and we don’t know what happened to him!” Suddenly, the princess broke out into sobs, covering her face in her hands. When she looked up at Venus, she actually looked ashamed of what she’d done for once. “Oh, Venus, it’s all our fault. Kunzite doesn’t deserve this.”

Venus glanced over to Mercury, reading a book in her corner. Mercury hid her face. Mars and Jupiter both tried to appear extremely fervent in their conversation. Venus knew they were all listening. She sighed.

“Prince Endymion, you must head home. Your parents will be wondering. I’m sure your guards can make some excuse for Kunzite for the time being,” she said firmly. Both Serenity and Endymion looked disheartened by her words, as if she’d told them to give up on Kunzite forever. “Serenity . . . tell me where the temple is. I will find Kunzite and bring him home.”

-

The second room was much like the first. Venus had known better than to use her chain again, so she walked through the halls, turning a corner every so often. It felt like she was going in circles, but at least, she’d come across another door, very similar to the first. When she pushed this one, there was no resistance. It swung open easily, revealing an identical room, though this was one was empty.

“Well? Are you here?” Venus demanded.

No one answered her. Venus looked around the room once more. The layout was the same, the door on the other side. But she’d been told to meet the spirit here, and she didn’t know where that door would lead her. Would it take her back out of the labyrinth? At least with the spirit, she had a chance of being guided to Lord Kunzite. She decided to wait, first standing on the dirt floor, then leaning up against the wall.

“Hello?” she called when she could wait no longer.

If there were a clock in the room, Venus was sure she would hear it ticking. The silence drove her mad. Should she just go? She couldn’t stay in senshi form for such an extended amount of time, and if she had more fighting to do--then again, she hadn’t really been doing any fighting.

Venus let out a breath, releasing herself from the transformation until she was just a woman in a bright orange gown. The hem trailed along the dirt floor. That would be near impossible to explain. She’d have to be careful making her way back to her room, which would be difficult, as tired as she already was. She was supposed to be the leader of Serenity’s guard. She shouldn’t have tired out so easily from this mission. She should have been stronger than that.

She pinched her nose. Venus didn’t even understand why she’d been chosen to lead. Jupiter was the strongest. Mercury was the smartest. Mars always knew just what to do in combat. They had their elements, storms, ice, fire. What did Venus have? Her powers of love and beauty. Her mother had always told her to be proud of herself. Sailor Venus’s powers were unique among the senshi, and she alone could delve into the heart for power. But that had never done her any good, even in training. No, she had her chain and a sword, where the other girls relied on themselves. She was weak. There was no way she was going to save Kunzite.

“Giving up so easily?”

Venus’s head snapped up, and the boy looked at her with pitying eyes. He seemed genuinely disappointed that she wasn’t going to continue, and he shook his head, leaning onto his hand.

“And I really thought you were wise enough to understand. Alright. I can escort you out,” he said with a shrug.

“You . . . Where did you go?”

The boy looked at her blankly. “I’ve been here.”

Venus huffed. “Why didn’t you speak then?”

“I was curious,” the boy said. “You came all the way here and yet you doubt your abilities. Why is that, Sailor Venus?”

“I’m on a mission for my princess.”

The boy took a step closer. “A mission you don’t believe you can complete.”

She lowered her eyes before straightening up, shaking off the hem of her dress. “I have to try,” she said.

The boy stared as if he were examining her closely. He wasn’t looking at her physical form, per se. It felt as if he’d delved into her soul and was cutting it apart piece by piece to see what was inside.

“You refuse to let anyone know you doubt your powers,” he said. “Perhaps that’s wise as a leader. But until you face what you can do, you won’t know the true depth of your strength.”

“My strength? What exactly are you doing here? Why do you care about my powers?” Venus asked.

The boy rolled his eyes. “You are in the Temple of Prometheus, Sailor Venus. Did they tell you nothing?” A pause. “They didn’t. Alright. This temple is dedicated to the most basic knowledge of humanity. Love is one aspect. Normally, I find soldiers come to save their loves, and all they have is a sword and a bit of combat magic. You have that, but you have more. You _are_ Sailor Venus, guardian of love and beauty. Moving through the labyrinth should be second nature to you. But you’re so attached to your duty that you can’t even allow yourself to experience your own power source.”

“. . . Serenity and Endymion mentioned a blessing,” Venus began.

The boy batted the thought away. “Something the people made up. This place is a place of knowledge. Sure, I usually use love-based tasks, but that seems to be the only thing they can understand. I like you. These tasks will give you the knowledge you need.”

Venus tugged at a strand of blonde hair. “I don’t understand.”

“The people of Earth understand little about this temple,” the boy said, as if it were a great hint. “They see it like something out of their fairy tales. Three steps, a sleeping lover, and a maze. They romanticize this. And yet they struggle to get past the first step. You found that rather easy.”

“The first step? But I haven’t--” Venus faltered. They were in the second room. “The creatures.”

“My pets. People always want to kill them,” the boy said sadly. He reminded her of one of the children of the Lunish court, a small boy whose beloved pet bird passed a few months back. In this moment, he didn’t look like a powerful spirit, but just a young boy with fluffy brown hair and unusually bright eyes. “But you saw. The right way isn’t to kill. You know love, Sailor Venus.”

Venus looked away. “That was just . . . . I didn’t want to hurt them. They hadn’t done anything wrong.”

The boy smiled. “Exactly. You knew that in their hearts, they were innocent. That is a power, Sailor Venus, to know the true hearts of your enemies--and your friends.”

“It’s not much use in combat,” she muttered.

“You think? Perhaps you should fight for the second task,” the boy said.

Venus looked stricken. This only spurred the boy on.

“Yes, yes, you must face this fear. No sword, no chain, just you and your powers, Sailor Venus,” he instructed. At his words, her weapons disappeared.

“Who am I to fight?” she asked. The boy didn’t answer. In front of her stood Lord Kunzite.

-

How humiliating it had been, to learn Serenity had not done her duty and gone to her lessons. Venus had grown lax in her responsibilities as Serenity grew older. When Serenity’s youthful eyes grew a little wiser, when her smile grew a little tighter, when she stopped slouching at formal events, everyone had imagined that Serenity was finally learning what it meant to be the crown princess. Even her tutors had said Serenity was studying with a new intensity. She still struggled, but she struggled with a desire to truly understand the information given to her.

“A little late for that,” said the languages tutor.

The history tutor said, “She will make a good queen one day.”

Venus saw it as she took Serenity to her lessons, the words from her notes on her lips, eyes distant as if remembering. This wasn’t the same silly girl who’d stayed out in the sun until her skin grew dark, her silver hair even paler, the girl scared to step out in the week of dark for fear of monsters. This girl, still dark from sunshine, hair still pale and silvery, was more than a child. She was the future queen. Venus knew that she would serve this woman until the end of time. If this woman was to lead her someday soon, then she should be alright to go to lessons herself.

She’d perhaps been a little hasty in that judgment.

It was needless to say that Venus was livid as she descended to Earth. That stupid, stupid girl, who’d let her mother come to scold Venus about not doing her duty. And she’d been with the girls as well, Mercury and Jupiter kindly averting their gazes, while Mars just stared, as if Venus weren’t the _leader_ \--she was supposed to be the leader. She was supposed to do everything right. She was supposed to be better than--

“Lady Venus.”

Venus let out a yelp, stumbling over a root and landing on her behind. She hadn’t even realized she’d already reached the surface. Hand instantly attached to the hilt of her sword, she looked up to greet her assailant. But it was only Kunzite. She let out a breath and lowered her head. Wonderful. Now even a Terran had seen her fail miserably. She waited to see if he would laugh at her, just keeping her head down so he wouldn’t see any tears in her eyes, because no matter what, she would _not_ let him see the leader of the Sailor team cry, but Kunzite did nothing of the sort. He offered a hand and helped her to her feet.

“You ought to be careful,” he said, eyes soft and warm. She felt something warm in her chest, and--

“Venus, you always warn me to watch out for the shift in gravity.”

Venus looked over. Serenity and Endymion were sitting by a creek, on stumps. And Serenity was in one of her white dresses. Oh, heavens, she was wearing a white dress, and there would be little remnants of this excursion on the fabric. How would they ever explain that away?

“. . . You look angry,” Serenity said reluctantly. Her sun-kissed cheeks heated pink. “Oh, no. I stayed too long, didn’t I? Venus, I’m so, so sorry. I promise I’ll-- I’ll tell Mother I was in the gardens. You know how often I’m in there. I was just distracted. I’m so sorry.”

Venus knew she shouldn’t relent so easily. That’s all anyone did to Serenity, fall to her whims. She was spoiled--spoiled sweet, but spoiled nonetheless. She had never really had to fight for a thing in her life, and Venus would do her no favors to continue to baby her.

“It’s alright, darling,” she said. “But we must return. Tell Prince Endymion goodbye.”

Serenity clasped Endymion’s hands eagerly, and Venus politely averted her eyes.

“We don’t have an easy job, do we?”

She looked to Kunzite, who openly stared at the pair, a hint of smile on his lips. His eyes were full of love for his prince.

“They’re not an easy pair,” he continued, “but they’re both full of heart. In a way, it’s our duty to keep that heart from interfering with their future. No matter how difficult it is, there are few who could do this job like we do.”

Venus regarded him carefully. She’d never had her emotions towards her positions phrased so eloquently, so firmly. But the love for her princess, deeply seated in her heart, remained as steadfast as ever. He understood that. She smiled. “Of course. They’re our duty.”

-

No. Venus was not facing Lord Kunzite.

The man took a swing with his sword, and she jumped out the way. In her normal form, her reflexes were only decent. She couldn’t fight him like this. Waving her pen over her head, she allowed the power of Venus to wash over her.

She didn’t have her sword or her chain. But she did have the power of Sailor Venus, and that would have to be enough in this battle.

This man was not Kunzite. He didn’t have the warmness in his heart that Kunzite had. He had nothing in his heart but a desire to fight and be fought. He could barely be called a man. Whatever she was facing, this was just a creation of the temple. Venus could handle it.

She dodged another attack and automatically reached for her chain. But she didn’t have it. That was right. How was she supposed to attack without her weapons?

The sword narrowly missed her shoulder, and Venus rolled away to the other end of the room. She huffed as she slowed to a stop, propping herself up on her elbows to get ahold of herself. The boy was above her, sitting on another ledge and watching curiously.

“He’s not the real Kunzite,” she said, eyes up at him.

“No, he’s not,” the boy agreed.

Venus swallowed. “Is this a person I’m facing? Will I kill someone real?”

The boy shook his head. “It’s not my place to tell you, Sailor Venus. You saw enough to know he wasn’t Kunzite. Can you see enough to decide what to do?”

Venus stared helplessly up at him, only spotting the fake out of the corner of her eye. She moved just in time and leapt to her feet in attempts to get away. The man followed somewhat slowly. Physically, he wasn’t much of a combatant. He wasn’t there to fight her, not really. No, the boy had made it clear that this was about Venus and her powers. She turned her attention to the emotions she’d sensed from this creature. Were they really emotions? Or just a purpose? He really didn’t have a heart, did he? No, he’d just been made from the dirt underneath her feet. He wanted to return to his true form.

Venus took a deep breath and called to the source of her powers. “Rolling Heart Vibration!”

A bright beam showered the room, and when it faded, the man had dissolved back into the dust from which he’d been formed. All was right. Venus could feel that deep inside of her. Her sword and chain reappeared around her waist, and she released herself from the transformation once more.

“Do you understand now, Sailor Venus?” the boy asked, pushing himself from his ledge and landing flat on his feet. From that height, it should have hurt, but he made no sound of pain. “You have a gift that few people can control. The people of Earth--even of your moon--may not understand what you can do. But you are destined for great things.”

Venus’s face flushed at the compliment, though she wasn’t entirely sure if she understand what understanding she was supposed to have. Then again, she did feel a little more . . . in control of her powers. Perhaps that was all it was meant to be. It seemed a bit of let down, but she brushed that aside. She hadn’t come here to train. “Where’s Lord Kunzite?” she asked.

The boy smiled. “I shall take you to him.”

-

In condoning a relationship between the prince of Earth and Serenity, Venus laid out some careful rules. Serenity was to bring one of her guards to Earth each time, and she was not to stay more than an hour a day. An hour of a princess’s time was precious. Surely Endymion realized just how much he asked for in asking for the princess’s heart. Serenity had reluctantly agreed, since it meant that Venus would no longer threaten to tell her mother, and since Serenity’s magic was still sporadic, there was no risk of her failing to transport back as she had once or twice.

(Venus had little clue how well Queen Serenity I had accepted the excuse that Serenity had made a mistake in her magic studies. She’d not punished any of them, but the queen was a lot wiser than any could comprehend. Venus didn’t know how she could not know the truth.)

Serenity had started by taking Mercury or Jupiter. Mars was so volatile that if the wrong member of Endymion’s guard was there, she might burn down the little woodsy destination. Mercury didn’t mind the excursion. It was a peaceful time for her to read a good book. Jupiter loved anything romantic, and she was a little more lenient than the others might have been. Unfortunately, one of Serenity’s free hours fell upon a time Mercury was discussing reinforcements in the palace’s security system, Jupiter’s visit to the house of Zeus, and Mars’ divination training. Venus was the only one available.

“Please, Venus,” she had begged, hoping that her big blue eyes would do the trick. “Endymion sees me so little. We don’t have much time together.”

Perhaps that was what had done it. Venus felt a twist in her stomach, knowing just how true those words were. One day, both would be married off for an alliance, and they would have no time to return to each other’s sides. They would rule their own realms and reminisce about the long forgotten days where they knew true love. In Serenity’s case, she might release her consort after a few years, as her mother had done, so long as she had an heir to tie their families together. The Terrans had different opinions on the sanctity of marriage. Their only hope was the sliver of a chance that they might be a part of an arrangement between the Earth and the moon. Venus held no such hopes of her own.

She could see that Serenity didn’t either.

“I . . . Alright,” Venus relented, transporting the both of them to the Earth’s surface, a certain coordinate they’d practiced time and again. Endymion was waiting, and his face lit up when he saw Serenity. She immediately rushed out of Venus’s arms to her lover.

“Be safe, you two,” said a man standing off to the side. Venus had seen him at the ball, but she could not remember his name. They hadn’t even been introduced in all the frenetic affairs. He had strawberry blond hair, pulled out of his face rather sloppily--no, not sloppily, carefully tied back to look messy but frame his soft features well. Zoisite. He’d been at the leader of the guard’s side for much of the event. He glanced to Venus. “Hello. You know, I’d imagined someone a bit more like Kunzite from Serenity’s descriptions. She makes you sound so harsh.”

“Does she?” Venus asked. She narrowed her eyes. “She doesn’t follow the rules. I can’t help that I’m the one who must enforce them. I’m only strict because she needs me to be.”

Zoisite shrugged as he hardly cared. “It was not a criticism, Sailor Venus. Kunzite would say the same.” He paused and looked at her again. “I take it back. You really do remind me of him.”

-

“This is the last step, Sailor Venus,” the boy said.

“And what am I to do this time?” Venus asked, pausing to straighten the bow in her hair. She felt gross, her uniform a little rumpled, sweat streaking her forehead, though she knew she looked as beautiful as ever. Still, it wasn’t exactly the look she wanted to greet Kunzite in. No, she’d wanted to appear a little more . . . put together for this rescue. The bow was the most she could manage.

The boy smiled. “What else? The Terrans love their stories for a reason. True love’s kiss is the only thing that can break a sleeping curse.” He waved his hand, and sunlight shifted to reveal up at the top of the steps a throne with Lord Kunzite resting. “He awaits you. I look forward to watching you save him. You came here for duty, Sailor Venus? How will that serve you now?”

“You-- Why didn’t you warn me of this?” Venus balked, eyes wide. She turned to look at the boy, really looking at him this time. His brown hair was mussed, and he looked almost sleepy. But he lifted his green eyes to meet hers, and suddenly she saw that he was not just some spirit sent to guide her. This really was a boy, a boy protecting his home, much like those strange creatures in the first room.

“It’s not my duty to warn you,” he said with a big grin, like he was proud of his words. “I like you, Sailor Venus. You understand the power of love, but you find yourself beholden to duty. Nonetheless, I trust you know how to solve this dilemma. What shall you choose?”

“Well, only love can break the curse, you said,” Venus began, but the moment she turned her eyes, the boy was gone.

Alright. That was fine. She could finish this without him. He said he knew she could do it, so surely she didn’t need him. Instead, she looked up to Lord Kunzite, who could not return the favor. His eyes were closed. What a shame. Kunzite’s eyes were a sight to behold.

Venus always remembered his eyes. She couldn’t remember the color, gray, green, silver--something piercing but earthy--but she remembered the way he looked at her as if he knew everything in the universe, and she knew nothing. What could he know that she didn’t? She was Sailor Venus, leader of Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Serenity II’s royal guardians, champion of love and beauty. The Earth might brush her powers aside as weak, but Venus could bring them to their knees in an instant.

And yet Kunzite’s eyes never failed to make her tremble.

Now, his eyes weren’t upon her. He was almost slumped in the cold stone chair, vines weaving around him to keep him upright. It mustn’t have been a comfortable position, and yet, he looked so peaceful. Venus faltered. She couldn’t take another step. She was a lady--a soldier, but a lady--and ladies didn’t go into a room with a lone man.

No. In spite of her attire, Venus wasn’t here as a lady; she was here as Sailor Venus. Her mission required her to do this.

Her approach brought new revelations. The slight lines at Kunzite’s eyes lessened when he rested, and that was when she could believe he was only a few years older than Prince Endymion.

“Should I look like you in a few years?” she wondered. “My princess seems to be just as wild, if not more, than your prince. She shall drive me mad one of these days. But I suppose you have other boys to deal with as well. My ladies know their place, and they never step out of line. They’re such good soldiers.” Her dearest friends as well, but she was never to admit that, not to a stranger.

Kunzite wasn’t quite a stranger though. She leaned a little closer, the stone rough on her hands. Her hands were just as rough, she imagined. The Terrans could only call her a lady, but her hands were proof she was more.

-

“Presenting Her Royal Highness Princess Serenity II and her royal court, Lady Venus, Lady Mars, Lady Mercury, and Lady Jupiter.”

“Our proper title is Sailor,” Venus insisted to Serenity as they stepped inside the ballroom, Serenity leading with her long, far too intricate dress trailing behind her on the staircase. Her four guardians were careful to walk around the train, moving more like soldiers than guests, though they were dressed the part.

“Terrans don’t have a good equivalent. Their power runs through the male line,” Serenity said, batting their worries away with a wave of her hand. “They mean no offense. It’s a nice title.”

“They do have military. General might have been appropriate,” Mercury began to say, but her spiel was cut off by the approach of a tall, dark man with the most piercing eyes Venus had ever seen.

“Generals don’t typically fight in our land. You are soldiers,” he said. Venus vaguely remembered him from Serenity’s explanations--the leader of Endymion’s guard. “But you serve a different function to your princess’s court. You are all noble, are you not?”

“In a sense, they are,” Serenity said. One of her few strong points as a princess was her understanding of the Lunish court. Even Venus had trouble understanding all the intricacies. Then again, she’d always been schooled to be Sailor Venus, while Serenity had her role as the princess, her future as queen.

Venus lifted her chin defiantly to Kunzite. “And you? Your title?” she asked.

“Tennou. It means both king and general. It’s a word perfect for my position,” he said.

“Then call me Tennou Venus.”

Kunzite raised a brow. “You are no king.”

Venus colored, but Serenity made a laugh. “Oh, Kunzite, don’t scare my guardians. It’s a ball. We ought to forget about our worries.”

Even though she said that, Venus knew Serenity’s words were false. There was never a place to forget worries for royalty, certainly not in a ball on another planet, no matter how head over heels the prince was for his visiting dignitary. This ball was not an excuse to invite Serenity to Earth. This was a carefully calculated opportunity to change the Terrans’ perceptions of the Lunish, to judge whether the Earth could be trusted as an ally. There were extra guards stationed at all the entrances. Enchanted invitations to ensure that no one outside the guest list could enter the ballroom. Even Venus’s presence was a message, a last defense. Serenity played nice, but they had all seen the protesters outside the palace.

Even still, Kunzite softened a little at the princess’s prodding. No one could resist Serenity. Venus may have had an ethereal beauty that brought men and women to their knees, but everyone loved Serenity. “Your Royal Highness. Endymion is greeting other guests and regrets that he could not come to you directly. He sent me to ensure that his most anticipated guest arrived safely.”

Serenity flushed bright red as she always did at any mention of Endymion. Venus couldn’t help the way her heart softened. Serenity may have chosen a difficult path to love, but at least she had found it. Endymion was one of a kind, a good man. Most importantly, he loved Serenity. This ill-fated affair brought her princess a little joy. Perhaps they could wait a little longer to cut the strings.

“Your prince and I both know our duties well. I take no slight that he has yet to see me,” Serenity smiled, fingers tangling in the long strands of her silvery hair. Jupiter absently pulled her hand away, as she always did during etiquette lessons. That was the one habit they’d never erased, Serenity’s gripping at her hair, revealing any nerves.

Mercury changed the subject easily. “It’s for the best we take a moment to adjust to Earth’s gravity first. Serenity and Endymion will need to share the first dance when they meet, and I don’t feel up to dancing yet.”

A smile slid over Mars’ lips. “Perhaps warn your prince that Serenity is used to dancing where she can step on toes without injuring her partner.”

Serenity looked indignant, but Kunzite let out a small laugh before he could recover and return to the position he had to play for the night.

“You must excuse me, ma’am, your Ladyships. I have matters to attend to as well,” Kunzite said politely, his mask once again in place.

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lord Kunzite,” Venus said before anyone could stop her. Serenity looked a little appalled at the slight, and Mercury seemed embarrassed by it. Jupiter had to struggle to contain her laugh. Mars… Mars was almost grinning.

Kunzite merely let his lips twitch, neither a smile nor a frown. Venus had no clue what he was thinking.

-

Art by Jen Erazo ([eternal-reverie](eternal-reverie.tumblr.com) or [jennifererazo](jennifererazo.tumblr.com) on tumblr)

Venus still couldn’t tell what Kunzite thought. Sometimes, he seemed as cold as this stone throne in which he sat. When he looked at Endymion, he had that warmth in his eyes only a guardian could know. And yet after journeying all the way here, she felt that she did know him a little. They had the same duty, paid the same price.

“True Love’s Kiss is what breaks all curses. That’s what they said, Lord Kunzite,” Venus told him, as if he could hear her. “Your Terran fairy tales say a man kisses a woman to wake her, and it’s true love. I’m afraid I’m neither a man nor am I in love with you. Not yet, at least.” The thought brought a blush to Venus’s cheeks, though she stayed strong. “I am, however, Sailor Venus, soldier of love. _I_ am True Love, and I will wake you.”

Venus leaned forward, her breath blowing Kunzite’s hair away from his face. She carefully braced her hands on Kunzite’s shoulder, strong and solid, though warmer than the stone throne. Venus had never been this close to a man. She’d never given so much to save someone. But this was her destiny, as Sailor Venus and as the girl who’d been chosen from the house of Aphrodite to serve Princess Serenity. For once, Venus allowed herself to be Philyra, and Philyra pressed her lips to Kunzite’s, very briefly, then scrambled back over the arm of the throne, almost stumbling down the steps to the platform.

Kunzite’s eyes, warm and earthy, opened. “Lady Venus,” he said, startled.

“Sailor Venus,” she corrected. He looked around, watching as the vines untwisted, retreating to the walls around the throne.

“Soldier and lady,” he remembered. “You were the one who saved me. I didn’t-- I know this curse. Only true love can break--” Kunzite couldn’t even finish his sentence. For the first time ever, he looked flustered, cheeks a deep red, and his hand moved to cover his mouth. Venus couldn’t help but smile brightly, giving a wink.

“I am love, Lord Kunzite. I can break any love curse. That is why Serenity sent me.”

Kunzite looked almost disappointed by that revelation. “I see. I suppose I should thank you.”

Venus shrugged, offering her hand. “I accept your thanks, Lord Kunzite. Now, shall we return you to your home?”

Kunzite took her hand and pulled himself to his feet, running his free hand through his sleep-mussed hair. “I suppose it is time. Lady-- Sailor Venus, tell me. How did you make your way through this labyrinth?” He looked genuinely curious, rather impressed, even a hint of affection. Venus wanted to bask in that, but it wasn’t the time. For now, Sailor Venus needed to escort Tennou Kunzite back to his prince.

Perhaps later, Venus and Kunzite could take a chance on affection.

**Author's Note:**

> If you know me (and you probably don't, as it's been a while since I've written for Sailor Moon), you know I don't tend to do end notes. This time, I didn't want my notes to influence any reading. The first point I have to make is that "Prometheus" (as I've taken to calling the spirit of the temple) is actually not an original character, but inspired by the lovely little brother Shingo Tsukino. This point is mostly irrelevant, and it doesn't affect the fic itself, but I wanted everyone to know. I spent a long time picking that name, and it deserves to be appreciated. Secondly, as out of order as this fic is, I have to say I wrote it even more out of order, and so my head is still spinning in terms of timeline. If you're really curious, the scenes are chronologically, 5, 4, 6, 3, 7, 2, 8, 1, 9. I hope that didn't make it any more confusing.
> 
> On a more serious note, I want to thank you all for reading and say how much I enjoyed being a part of this challenge. For once in my life, I'm going to bite my tongue on this fic. I think it mostly stands alone.


End file.
